Description (from cover):'In this gripping new novel in the New York Times bestselling series, Lady Emily travels to Greece where a ghost from her past returns to haunt her amid the ruins.
On a quest to distract her lifelong friend Jeremy from his recent heartbreak, Lady Emily organizes a holiday in Greece. As a lover of all things Greek, she quickly finds herself occupied with tours of ancient ruins, lively debates with Margaret, a devoted Latinist, and slightly more scandalous endeavors with her dashing husband, Colin Hargreaves. But the pleasantries are brought to an abrupt halt when a man long believed dead greets the party at their island villa. Lord Philip Ashton, Colin's childhood best friend and Emily's first husband, has returned. But can Philip really be who he claims, even if he has the scars and stories to prove it? where has he been for all this time? And will his undying love for Emily drive him to claim what's his?
Intrigue mounts as Philip reveals that he has been plagued for the past few years by an illegal antiques trader who believes he is in possession of a piece of Achilles' helmet, a priceless relic that was stolen from him moments after he unearthed it on an archaeological dig. Emily must employ all of her cunning and expertise to thwart thieves who threaten not only her own safety, but that of those precious artifacts she holds so dear. A trail of overheard conversations, murderous assailants, and dead bodies leads her on a chase to uncover more than one buried truth.'
My thoughts:
I began my love for historical mysteries with a couple of series. This was one of them. I love a good historical mystery with a lot of suspense and this series delivers. I have long followed this series and I am always anxiously awaiting the next installment. If you are new to historical mysteries, this is a series definitely worth your attention. This book is the 11th installation of the series and one that weaves backstory into new tales. If you are familiar with the series, this book will shock you. If you are new to the series, do not start with this one. You will be confused. This is your warning that spoilers are ahead.
Emily and her husband, Colin, have decided to go on a holiday to Greece and have taken Emily's friends, Jeremy and Margaret with them. The intent is to escape reality a little and forget about the things left behind in London. However, they are in for a surprise when Lord Philip Ashton, Emily's dead first husband, greets them upon their arrival to the villa. Emily cannot believe her eyes. Is he really Philip? Or is he an imposter? Philip tells Emily about his struggles over the years and how someone is hunting for him. Emily must use her smarts and detective skills to discover exactly is going on.
I think that this book was a little predictable at times and a little less action packed than the others in the series, but it was still a good read. I felt that it was just okay. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the greatest either. I hate to feel like that because typically I love this series, but something just felt off with it for me this go around. I was a little disappointed, however, I am not yet ready to throw in the towel with this series. Fingers crossed!
Overall Rating: 2.5
Title: A Terrible Beauty
Author: Tasha Alexander
Series: Lady Emily Mystery #11
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Pages: 304
Genre: Historical Mystery
Get It: Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.
